A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...* Haiti from the northern border with the Dominican Republic to LeMole St. Nicholas* Turks and Caicos Islands* Southeastern Bahamas* Cuba from Matanzas province eastward to Guantanamo province

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...* Dominica* Dominican Republic from south of Cabo Engano westward to thesouthern border with Haiti

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for...* Haiti from south of Le Mole St. Nicholas to Port-Au-Prince

A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expectedsomewhere within the warning area. Preparations to protect life andproperty should be rushed to completion.

A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possiblewithin the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hoursbefore the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-forcewinds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult ordangerous.

Interests elsewhere in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, aswell as Cuba, the central and northwestern Bahamas, and Floridashould monitor the progress of Irma.

For storm information specific to your area in the UnitedStates, including possible inland watches and warnings, pleasemonitor products issued by your local National Weather Serviceforecast office. For storm information specific to your area outsidethe United States, please monitor products issued by your nationalmeteorological service.

DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK------------------------------At 1100 PM AST (0300 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Irma was locatednear latitude 17.4 North, longitude 61.1 West. Irma is movingtoward the west-northwest near 15 mph (24 km/h), and this motion isexpected to continue for the next couple of days. On the forecasttrack, the extremely dangerous core of Irma will move over portionsof the northern Leeward Islands tonight and early Wednesday, movenear or over portions of the northern Virgin Islands Wednesday, andpass near or just north of Puerto Rico late Wednesday and Wednesdaynight.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 185 mph (295 km/h) with highergusts. Irma is a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-SimpsonHurricane Wind Scale. Some fluctuations in intensity are likelyduring the next day or two, but Irma is forecast to remain apowerful category 4 or 5 hurricane during the next couple of days.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 50 miles (85 km) from thecenter and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles(280 km).

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND----------------------STORM SURGE: The combination of a life-threatening storm surge andlarge breaking waves will raise water levels ABOVE NORMAL TIDELEVELS by the following amounts within the hurricane warning areanear and to the north of the center of Irma. Near the coast, thesurge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.

Northern Leeward Islands...7 to 11 ftTurks and Caicos Islands...15 to 20 ftSoutheastern Bahamas...15 to 20 ftNorthern coast of the Dominican Republic...3 to 5 ftNorthern coast of Haiti and the Gulf of Gonave...1 to 3 ft

The combination of a life-threatening storm surge and the tide willcause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by risingwaters moving inland from the shoreline. The water is expected toreach the following HEIGHTS ABOVE GROUND if the peak surge occurs atthe time of high tide...

British and U.S. Virgin Islands except St. Croix...7 to 11 ftNorthern coast of Puerto Rico...3 to 5 ftSouthern coast of Puerto Rico and St. Croix...1 to 2 ft

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast in areas ofonshore winds, where the surge will be accompanied by large anddestructive waves. Surge-related flooding depends on the relativetiming of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly overshort distances. For information specific to your area, please seeproducts issued by your local National Weather Service forecastoffice.

WIND: Hurricane conditions are expected within the hurricanewarning area in the Leeward Islands tonight, with tropical stormconditions beginning within a couple of hours. Hurricaneconditions are expected to begin within the hurricane warning areain the British and U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Wednesday,with tropical storm conditions beginning tonight. Hurricaneconditions are expected to begin within the hurricane warning areain the Dominican Republic early Thursday, with tropical stormconditions beginning Wednesday night.

Hurricane and tropical storm conditions are possible within thewatch area in Haiti, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and thesoutheastern Bahamas by early Thursday.

RAINFALL: Irma is expected to produce the following rainaccumulations through Thursday:

SURF: Swells generated by Irma will affect the northern LeewardIslands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the southeastern Bahamas,the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the northern coast of theDominican Republic during the next several days. These swells arelikely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.Please consult products from your local weather office.